Gators, Gators, How'd you like to BITE MY ASS?

I would be remiss if I did not post something about The University of Georgia Football Bulldogs' unlikely victory in Jacksonville this weekend. This bugger had the makings of another classic Georgia debacle -- bad play calls, bad playing, and the crowd giving up on an outcome they have seen all too often, especially in Jacksonville, a place where *cliche-o-meter* The Dawgs were 2-15 since 1990, coming into this game.

Well, it's 3-15 now, bitch! And, in a reverse of what we have all seen too many times before, Georgia came out strong, and confident, and finally did what I have been calling on since Week 1 -- used Knowshon like you would use Jerry Rice in Super Tecmo Bowl -- get him the ball on EVERY play. While I am aware that Massaqoui and Bailey finally making clutch catches, and Stafford finally (mostly) making accurate passes had a lot to do with it, the day belonged to the young sprite from Jersey Crankin Dat Solja Boy for 188 yards. His spin move for 8 yards on the first drive was my first indication that this game might be different from the usual outcome -- something about the grace, precision, and spontaneity of the move was an indicator that this team had, as they say "A Lotta More."

The first drive (9 rushes) was capped by a diving stretch to barely get the ball across the plain, and *controversy* -- the entire team mobbing Kno as he celebrated. Not the team on the field. THE WHOLE TEAM. 70 kids out there whooping, and letting the fans, of both squads, that they came to play to day. *Another cliche alert* -- it was the sort of defining moment that makes a team a team, and the celebration, coupled with Mark Richt's unbridled joy at it, and some better play calling and inspired play, helped to carry the day, and God willing, should galvanize The Dawgs for a stretch run in which they are suddenly back in the hunt for the SEC East Title, and likely only playing on team that has any excuse competing with them (Auburn) and another that is dangerous but on the downslope (Kentucky).

The last time we won in Jax, I was actually in attendance for the first and only time. I had been kept from attending while in school (money) and after school by the seasonal nature of my job working political campaigns -- kind of hard to take off the week before an election to go to a football, even if it IS The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party! But, on that eventful day, we had more than locked up the election -- for a Democrat, in South Alabama during the high flying Republican gang rape of 2004 -- when my candidate came in and announced that having outraised his opponent nearly 300 fold, and was at 60% in the polls before we even started advertising, and damnit, he was done raising money, and for me to get my ass on the road for that little game over in Jacksonville.

I called a buddy and the convo was something like "You still got a place for me to crash? "
"Yep"
"You still got a space on that bus?"
"Yep"
"Well, pull your socks up, I'm hitting the road."

the drive from Mobile to anywhere is god-awful boring and eye droppingly long, but the one across the entire panhandle of America's flaccid penis was almost too much. I detoured into Georgia (a state always feel more comfortable in the confines of) and made it to St. Simon's Island in just a hair under 10 hours.

The next day was one of those you can barely even imagine, yet alone get to experience. The Bus ride was full of crazy old ladies making up ditties to bash the Hated Gators, including one I took for the title of this post, and lots and lots of booze.

I don't remember much about the game, except that it was humid enough for me to take off my oxford cloth button down and watch most of it in my White Tee, with Dr. Geyer and Raz Drugley.

My most vivid memory, though, is walking out and relishing the abject disgust and sadness of the Gators in all their jean shorted and sleeveless shirted glory, and the matching joy and relief of Bulldog Nation. I walked alone back to the bus, a weird ecstasy-style smile and warmth basking over me, just soaking it all in.

I imagine this year's Dog fan feeling even better, as in 2004 we beat Ron Zook, and this year we took out Urban Meyer, The Defending National Champions, ghosts of Georgia past, and to hear Vern Lundquist tell it during yesterday's broadcast, the mightiest offensive weapon in the history of college football: Tim Tebow.

Well, Vern, TEBOW WEARS JEANS SHORTS, and Stafford and Knowshon now KNO what it takes to win in Jacksonville. I don't expect to lose there again while we have the two of them.

WHAT'S THAT COMIN DOWN THE TRACK?
IT'S BIG, IT'S BAD, IT'S RED AND BLACK!
AIN'T NOTHIN' FINER IN THE LAND
THAN A DRUNK OBNOXIOUS GEORGIA FAN!!
GO DAWGS!!